Congressman Pete P. Gallego requests U.S. Fish & Wildlife to conduct survey of Dos Republicas Coal Mine impact
By: Jose G. Landa
An Exclusive Eagle Pass Business Journal News Story/Copyright 2013
Congressman Pete P. Gallego of the Texas 23rd Congressional District (D-TX) has written a letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Daniel Ashe, dated January 29, 2013, requesting that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a federal agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, conduct a “survey upon the land surrounding the mining site to determine the potential impacts of the mine upon local endangered species, and ask that the Dos Republicas Mining Partnership not commence with mining operations until this survey is completed.”
Congressman Gallego stated “I am writing to express several community concerns regarding the potential establishment of a mining operation by Dos Republicas Coal Partnership Mine in Maverick County, Texas. It has been brought to my attention that this venture could possibly result in negative impacts for the local community. Furthermore, there has not been a thorough examination of the operation to evaluate these potential risks, which is why I am requesting a survey on these community concerns.”
Congressman Galllego further stated “the potential hazards are environment concerns, including air and water quality. The mined coal would be used in high-emission power plants just across the U.S. border and those emissions have been shown to degrade air quality in areas, such as Big Bend National Park. The local community and its state-level elected officials have demonstrated concern over possible air contamination emanating from operations at this mine. Additionally, the operation’s wastewater will be discharged into a tributary of the Rio Grande just above the drinking water intake for the City of Eagle Pass.”
Texas State Senator Carlos I. Uresti of San Antonio, Texas and State Representative Alfonso “Poncho” Nevarez of Eagle Pass, Texas also wrote letters to the Railroad Commission of Texas requesting that the Railroad Commission deny Dos Republicas Coal Partnership’s application to renew, revise, and expand Permit 42, Eagle Pass Mine, to operate an open surface coal mine only three miles north of Eagle Pass, Maverick County, Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border in a densely populated area with two public elementary schools and a migrant headstart program within a mile from the proposed coal mine site.
The Texas Railroad Commission granted Dos Republicas Coal Partnership’s application by a split 2 to 1 vote on January 29, 2013. Opponents to the open surface coal mine, including the City of Eagle Pass, County of Maverick, Maverick County Hospital District, Maverick County Environmental and Public Health Association, and local landowners, farmers, and ranchers have filed a Motion for Rehearing with the Texas Railroad Commission citing many legal and procedural errrors committed during the administrative hearing which require a rehearing and/or reopening of the permit hearing.
Dos Republicas Coal Partnership, a Texas Partnership comprised of two Texas limited liability corporations known as Eagle Pass Coal Corporation and Maverick County Coal Corporation who in turn are owned by a Mexican subsidiary of Mexican steel and coal conglomerate Grupo Acerero del Norte, S.A. de C.V. and Altos Hornos de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (Grupo GAN/AHMSA) of Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico, seeks to construct and operate an open surface coal mine on the banks of Elm Creek in northern Maverick County, Texas and discharge the coal mine’s waste directly into Elm Creek, a direct water tributary of the Rio Grande River, just a few miles upstream from both the cities of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico’s public water plants intake on the Rio Grande.
Dos Republicas Coal Partnership plans to sell the low-grade bituminous coal to the Mexican government’s Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) to burn at its Jose Lopez Portillo (Carbon I) and Carbon II coal-generated electricity plants in Rio Escondido, Nava, Coahuila, Mexico, just a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, and plan to transport the coal from Eagle Pass to Nava, Coahuila, Mexico via railroad through the middle of downtown Eagle Pass.
Both Carbon I and II coal-generated electricity power plants are the largest in Latin America and operate without scrubbers and are known for being one of the largest polluters of the air and environment in Texas and the United States, including the Big Bend National Park, for over 30 years. Dos Republicas Coal Partnership’s Mexican-owned parent company also owns and operates a sister open surface coal mine in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, near the Rio Grande, opposite of Eagle Pass, Texas, which is operational at least since 2011.
Dos Republicas Coal Partnership’s owners and investors also own another Texas limited liability company, Eagle Pass Railroad, which is currently requesting a permit from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board and the U.S. Department of State to build and operate an international railroad bridge and railroad line between Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila and Nava, Coahuila, Mexico to transport the coal from the proposed Eagle Pass Mine as well as other trade between the U.S. and Mexico.
Opponents to the Eagle Pass Mine in Eagle Pass, Texas contend the open surface coal mine will contaminate their only source of potable water, the Rio Grande, the air, increase cardiopulmonary and cancer diseases, and cause the extinction of the federally endangered species known as the Ocelot and Jaguarundi cats. Dos Republicas Coal Partnership denies these allegations and states it will comply with all federal and state coal mining and environmental laws.
